“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” has set a new record as the first film to surpass $1 billion at the 2026 box office. It was released on April 1, 2026, by Illumination, Nintendo, and Universal, and reached this milestone in its tenth weekend. It leads the year’s box office by over $100 million, followed by the Michael Jackson biopic “Michael” with $888 million, and “Project Hail Mary” with $679 million, according to Box Office Mojo.
This film is not only the top grosser of the year, but also the second-highest-grossing video game-based film, following “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” in both global and domestic markets. The original 2023 film generated $1.3 billion globally, becoming the highest-grossing video game adaptation and the first to break the billion-dollar mark.
Together, both films have elevated the “The Super Mario” series to become one of the most lucrative in the industry, earning a combined $2 billion. They currently rank ninth among the biggest animated franchises worldwide, surpassing the seven-film series “Madagascar,” which earned a total of $2.26 billion. This franchise is Illumination CEO Chris Meledandri’s third to place in the top ten since founding the company in 2007.
Biggest Animated Franchises of All Time
Below are the top ten highest-grossing animated film series based on total box office earnings:
- Despicable Me, $5.64B, 6 films
- Shrek, $3.98B, 6 films
- Toy Story, $3.28B, 5 films
- Ice Age, $3.22B, 5 films
- Zootopia, $2.89B, 2 films
- Frozen, $2.73B, 2 films
- Inside Out, $2.56B, 2 films
- Kung Fu Panda, $2.37B, 4 films
- Super Mario films, $2.30B, 2 films
- Madagascar, $2.26B, 7 films
Universal has been successful in 2026, with upcoming films like Steven Spielberg’s “Disclosure Day” and Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” which might also surpass the $1 billion mark. Universal is partnering with Illumination again for “Minions & Monsters,” scheduled for a July 1, 2026 release. A third “Super Mario Bros” movie is anticipated around 2028.
Top 10 Highest-Grossing Films of 2026
“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” currently leads the 2026 box office with $1,000,028,930 worldwide. Here are the top ten films:
- “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” — $1,000,028,930
- “Michael” — $888,066,424
- “Project Hail Mary” — $679,728,026
- “The Devil Wears Prada 2” — $663,570,934
- “Pegasus 3” — $656,459,523
- “Hoppers” — $372,010,783
- “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu” — $293,622,349
- “Wuthering Heights” — $241,601,072
- “Obsession” — $224,795,930
- “Blades of the Guardians” — $215,363,913
‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ Cast
“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” features Chris Pratt as Mario and Charlie Day as Luigi. Anya Taylor-Joy returns as Peach, with Keegan-Michael Key as Toad and Jack Black as Bowser. Here’s the complete cast list:
- Chris Pratt — Mario
- Anya Taylor-Joy — Princess Peach
- Charlie Day — Luigi
- Jack Black — Bowser
- Keegan-Michael Key — Toad
- Brie Larson — Rosalina
- Donald Glover — Yoshi
- Benny Safdie — Bowser Jr.
- Glen Powell — Fox McCloud
- Issa Rae — Honey Queen
- Luis Guzmán — Wart
- Kevin Michael Richardson — Kamek